Egg carton



Oct. 25, 1960 2,957,616

V. E. SWANSON EGG CARTON Filed March 6. 1959 2 Sheets-Shut 1 m La Nl: L Z/ ATTORNEY Oct. 25, 1960 v. E. swANsoN EGG CARTON 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 6, 1959 INVENTOR Vernon Swanson MILL. @Li LOCKS ATTORNEY EGG CARTON Vernon E. Swanson, Chicago, lll., assignor to Diamond National Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 6, 1959, Ser. No. 797,640

8 Claims. (Cl. 229-28) The present invention relates to an egg carton, and more particularly to an egg carton made from a single piece of paperboard material and having a glue flap adhesively secured to the rear wall of the carton, which glue ilap has portions extending from near the top of the rear wall to near the bottom of the rear wall, together with cut-out portions in the rear ap that result in no diminution of egg space for larger eggs, but which cutout portions are so positioned that smaller eggs are held up higher in the egg cells.

A well-known and widely used egg carton is one that is made from a single blank of sheet material, preferably paperboard, this blank being cut out, scored and folded so as to present an economical egg carton that cushions and protects the eggs held therein. In the noted carton, one end of the blank is the glue flap, and this glue ilap is secured to a panel that becomes the rear wall of the erected carton. A longitudinal divider and bottom for the carton is provided by adjacent, foldably joined panels that are in the form of an inverted V, and transverse partitions for this carton are formed by cut-out pontions of a panel, these cut-out transverse partitions being folded down and extending through parts of the inverted V-bottom. Such a carton is shown in Troyk Patent No. 1,783,397, dated December 2, 1930.

`While the above described carton has served satisfactorily for many years, the handling of filled cartons during the marketing process has indicated the need for a stronger carton, in order t withstand the rough handling to which the cartons are subjected. ln particular, experience has indicated that the resistance of the carton to partial collapse under vertical loads should be improved, and indeed there has in the past been suggestions for improving the strength of the carton in this particular. One such suggestion was to increase the depth of the glue ap, so that it would extend from its normal upper level on the carton rear wall substantially to the bottom of the carton rear wall. While this construction is somewhat stronger than the original cartons, it did not completely satisfy the requirements for added strength, and it served to diminish the egg room or egg space in the cells adjacent the rear wall of the carton. Since there are usually six cells along the rear Wall, it will be understood that one-half of the cells suffered from diminished egg space with this construction.

An object of the present invention is to provide an egg carton made from a single blank providing cushioned egg support and having improved resistance to vertical crushing loads. l

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an egg carton made from a single blank having a stronger construction without a lessening of egg room for larger eggs.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an egg carton made from a single blank providing cushioned egg support and having improved resistance to crushing and which tends to hold smaller size eggs higher in the cells.

A still further object of the present inventionl the provision of an egg carton made from alsingle blank having a stronger construction while providing u ndirninished egg room for larger eggs and which will also hold smaller size eggs higher in the cells. i

Yet another objectof the present invention is to provide an egg carton having stronger construction while providing undiminished egg room for larger eggs and which will also hold smaller `size eggs higher in the cells.

Other objects and the nature and advantages of the instant invention be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Y A Y Y Fig 1 is a plan View of a blank for the improved carton of the present invention. Y n l. i

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a carton erected from the 'blank of Fig. 1. y j 7,.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, with the cover of the carton in the closed position.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional View taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2. y

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line Fre-5 of Fig. y2, and showing a large egg positioned in a cell of the carton of the present invention. k

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 6-6 ofA Fig. 2 and showing a small egg positioned in the cell of a carton of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals .are used to designate like or corresponding parts throughout lthe several views, there is shown Fig. l a blank 1G havin-g,- fromtop to bottom, a tuck iiap 11, a top 12, a rear wall 13, a pa-ir of bottom and longitudinal partitions 14 and 15, a Lfront Iwrall16; a panel 17 of transverse partitions, and a glue ap 18.

Each `of the panels is joinedv along a fold line to the adjacent panel, except for the panel 17; panel 17, which the tranverse partitions are cut,is joined to the adjacent panels 16 and 17 by an interrupted fold line.l may 4be seen, interrupted fold line 19 joinsthe transverse partitions of panel 17 with the panel that forms the front wall 16, and the interrupted fold line I*20 joins the other ends of the transverse partitions of the panel 17 with the panel that forms the `glue iiap 18.

Tuck flap 11' is provided with the usual unidirectional hooks 21. Bottom and longitudinal partitions 14 and 15 have transverse partition receiving slots 22 adjacent the rear wall 13 and iront wall 16, and also the transverse partition receiving .slots 23 that extend across the fold line between these two parts. The v:usual longitudinal and transverse cuts 24 are positioned between the slots 22. v 'y rlhe panel 17 is divided into a plurality of transverse partitions 26, .each partition 26 having a projection 28 on one side `of cross-piece 27, a pair of legs 29 having inwardly directed hook elements 30 on each of theI legs 29, and a triangular piece 31 joined to each of the cross-pieces 27; the triangular pieces 31 Iare each' also joined to the adjacent front wall 16 and .glue ap 18, as the case may be, and it is to be noted that the joining ofl the several triangular pieces 311 to the front 16 isl along the interrupted fold line 19 while the joining of the triangular pieces 31 to the glue ilap 18 is along the interrupted fold line 20.

Several of the legs 29 that are adjacent the .glue ap 18 have tabs 33 `cut from them, these tabs each being `a part of the glue flap 18. The glue flap 18 has a plurality of tear-drop shaped rcut-outs 34, and it will be under:- stood that there is one cut-out 34 provided for each of the' cells to be formed when a carton is assembled the blank 10. j

Referring now to Fig. 2, t'here'is showna cartontht has been erected from a blank of Fig. 1. It may be seen therefrom that the legs 29 of the transverse partitions 26 have been inserted through the slots 22 and 23 of the bottom and longitudinal partitions 14 and 15, and that the triangular pieces 31 join the transverse partitions 26 to the front and rear walls of the carton.

Referring now to Fig. 3, there may be seen the front wall 16, the rear wall 13 and the bottom and longitudinal partitions 14 and 15. There may also be seen the transverse partitions 26 with the projection 28, the crosspiece 27 and the pair of downward-ly extending legs 29 having the hook elements 30 engaging with the margins of the slots 22 -in the partitions 14 and 15. There is also indicated in Fig. 3 the triangular pieces 31 and one of the tabs 33 that is adhesively secured to the inner face of the rear wall 13, and extends substantially to the top thereof. The glue ap 18 may be seen to extend from the interrupted fold line 20 downwardly substantially to the bottom of the rear wall 13. The glue flap 18 is, of course, secured by adhesives to the inner face of rear wall 13.

Referring now to Fig. 4, there may be seen the tabs 33, and in the example shown there are four such tabs 33, each of which extends substantially to the top of the rear wall 13. Each of the tabs 33 is preferably in the shape of a rhomboid, and thus provides for a greater reinforcement of the rear wall over a lateral extent than would Abe the case if the tabs were, for example, square.

The tear-drop shaped cut-outs 34 may be seen in Fig. 4 to be substantially horizontally centered in each of the cells that are adjacent the rear wall 13. The top of the cut-out 34 is .at approximately the vertical midpoint of the rear wall 13, and the bottom thereof is between the lower quarter point and the -lower third point of the rear wall 13. This particular size and location of the cut-out 34 has been found to give certain superior results, as will be understood from -a consideration of Figs. and 6.

In Fig. 5, there is shown a relatively large sized egg positioned in the normal way in one of the rear cells of the egg carton of the present invention. It may be seen therein that a part of the egg rests upon the bottom and longitudinal partition 14, and is received thereon in a cushioned manner by the cuts 34. It may also lbe seen that the egg enters into the cut-out 34, and rests against the inner face of rear wall 13. Thus, the glue flap 18, which extends from substantially the bottom of the rear wall 13 up to the interrupted -fold line 20, and from the interrupted fold line 20 substantially to the top of the rear wall 13, by virtue of the reinforcing tabs 33, does not diminish the egg room available in the cell when a large size egg is placed in that cell.

However, when a smaller size egg is placed in one of the rear cells of the carton of the present invention, it will rest upon the bottom and longitudinal partition 14 in the same manner as the large egg, and this is shown in Fig. 6r. However, the part of the small egg that is opposite the part that rests upon the bottom and longitudinal partition 14 engages the part of the glue Hap 18 that is below the cut-out 34, and thus it may be seen that the smaller size egg is held up higher in the cell than would be the case if the glue flap 18 had not been extended.

It has been found that the glue flap 18, with the reinforming tabs 33 as shown in the attached drawings provides a carton having substantially twice the resistance to vertical crushing forces as a carton having an ordinary glue flap.

There has `been provided an egg carton made from a single blank of paperboard that has the glue flap thereof extended downwardly substantially to the bottom of the rear wall to which it is adhesively secured, and the glue flap having tabs of preferably rhomboidal shape extending upwardly to substantially the top of the rear wall, these tabs also being adhesively secured to the rear wall. The carton thus constructed has substantially twice the resistance to vertical crushing loads as cartons with the ordinary glue flap. In addition, there has been provided a carton in which the strengthening has not decreased the egg room for larger size eggs, but does provide for holding up eggs of smaller sizes. Thus, there has been provided a carton having superior strength, and which at the same time displays both large and small size eggs attractively and to advantage.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the `art that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore the invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. An egg carton made from a single blank of paperboard comprising a front wall, a back wall, a longitudinally extending inserted V bottom and partition structure extending between and joined to said front and back walls at the bottom margins thereof, a plurality of transverse cross partitions extending from said front Wall to said back wall, and defining with said longitudinal structure a plurality of cells, said transverse partitions being integrally connected at said back wall along an interrupted fold line to a glue ilap, said glue flap being adhesively secured to the inner face of Said back wall, said fold line being positioned at an intermediate height of the back wall and said glue flap extending from said fold line downwardly substantially to the bottom of said back wall, a plurality of spaced reinforcing tabs integral with said glue ap and extending upwardly from said fold line substantially to the top of said back wall and adhesively secured thereto, and a tear-drop shaped, downwardly pointing cut-out in said glue iiap substantially horizontally centered in each said cell, said cut-out having the top thereof at approximately the vertical midpoint of said back wall and the bottom thereof between the one-quarter and one-third points of said back wall.

2. rl'he carton of claim l, said tabs being in the shapes of rhomboids.

3. An egg carton made from a single blank of paperboard comprising a front wall, a back wall, a longitudinally extending inverted V bottom and partition structure extending between and joined to said front and back walls at the bottom margins thereof, a plurality of transverse cross partitions extending from said front wall to said back wall, and defining with said longitudinal structure a plurality of cells, said transverse partitions being integrally connected at said back wall along an interrupted fold line to a glue flap, said glue flap being adhesively secured to the inner face of said back wall, said fold line being positioned at an intermediate height of the back wall and said glue flap extending from said fold line downwardly substantially to the bottom of said `back wall, `and a teardrop shaped, downwardly pointing cut-out in said glue ap substantially horizontally centered in each said cell, said cut-out having the top thereof at approximately the vertical midpoint of said back wall and the bottom thereof between the one-quarter and one-third points of said back wall.

4. An egg carton made from a single blank of paperboard comprising a front wall, a back wall, a longitudinally extending inverted V bottom and partition structure extending between and joined to said front and back walls at the bottom margins thereof, a plurality of trans- Verse cross partitions extending from said front wall to said back wall and dening with said longitudinal structure a plurality of cells, said transverse partitions being integrally connected at said back wall along an interrupted fold line to a glue ap, said glue flap being adhesively secured to the inner face of said back wall, said fold line being positioned at an intermediate height of the back wall and said glue ap extending from said fold line downwardly substantially to the bottom of said back wall, a plurality of spaced reinforcing tabs integral with said glue flap and extending upwardly from said fold line substantially to the top of said back wall and adhesively secured thereto, and a tear-drop shaped, downwardly pointing cut-out in said glue ap substantially horizontally centered in each said cell, said cut-out extending in substantially the second quarter of the height of said back wall from the bottom thereof.

5. The carton of claim 4, said tabs being in the shape of rhomboids.

6. An egg carton made from a single blank of paperboard comprising a front wall, a back wall, a longitudinally extending inverted V bottom and partition structure extending between and joined -to said front and back walls at the bottom margins thereof, a plurality of transverse cross partitions extending from said front wall to said back wall and defining with said longitudinal structure a plurality of cells, said transverse partitions being integrally connected at said back wall along an interrupted fold line to a glue ap, said glue flap being adhesively secured to the inner face of said back wall, said fold line being positioned at an intermediate height of the back wall and said glue flap extending from said fold line downwardly substantially to the bottom of said back wall, and a tear-drop shaped, downwardly pointing cutout in said glue ap substantially horizontally centered in each said cell, said cut-out extending in substantially the second quarter of the height of said back wall from the bottom thereof.

7. An egg carton made from a single blank of paperboard comprising a front wall, a back wall, a longitudinally extending inverted V bottom and partition structure extending between and joined to said front and back walls at the bottom margins thereof, a plurality of transverse cross partitions extending from said front wall to said back wall and defining with said longitudinal structure a plurality of cells, said transverse partitions being integrally connected at said back Iwall along an interrupted fold line to a glue ap, said glue ap being adhesively secured to the inner face of said back wall, said fold line being positioned at an intermediate height of the back wall and said glue ap extending from said yfold line downwardly substantially to the bottom of said back Wall, a plurality of spaced reinforcing tabs integral with said glue iiap and extending upwardly from said yfold line substantially to the top of said back Wall and adhesively secured thereto, and cut-out means in said glue flap for permitting larger size eggs in said cells to abut the inner face of said back wall therethrough and for providing contact of smaller size eggs with said glue ap therebelow said cut-out means having a downwardly diminishing dimension and terminating above the bottom of said back wall.

8. An egg carton made from a single blank of paperboard comprising a front wall, ka back wall, a longitudinally extending inverted V bottom and partition structure extending between and joined to said front and back walls at the bottom margins thereof, a plurality of transverse cross partitions extending from said front wall to said back wall and defining with said longitudinal structure a plurality of cells, said transverse partitions being integrally connected at said back wall along an interrupted fold line to a glue ap, said glue llap being adhesively secured to the inner -face of said back wall, said fold line being positioned at an intermediate height of the back wall and said glue flap extending from said fold line downwardly substantially to the bottom of said back wall, and cut-out means in said glue flap for permitting larger size eggs in said cells to abut the inner face of said back wall therethrough and for providing contact of smaller size eggs with said glue ap therebelow said cutout means having a downwardly diminishing dimension and terminating above the bottom of said back wall.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,783,397 Troyk Dec. 2, 1930 1,962,296 Burger n June 12, 1934 2,562,233 Buttery July 3l, 1951 2,605,951 Burger Aug. 5, 1952 

